WWW.JohnColwell.com

Music link:       https://youtu.be/vcLdyQ87n0U 

I have told my testimony a number of times, but in many cases there is a testimony within a testimony and that is what I feel as if I should share tonight. 

In 1988 or somewhere around there, I was living in Detroit and working for General Motors in one of GM's most famous auto plants when there was a massive lay off. 

Well, I was offered the opportunity to take a yearlong (nine month) Machinist's Trade School course while collecting my Unemployment Compensation, for which I had been paying into for years. 

As I began and finished the course, meanwhile my father passed on right about the same time. So, having finished the course, I had fixed up the house, so we could place it for sale. 

It was the house in which I had grown up in and where my mother and father had raised four boys. She still resided there but all of the children were gone. I had brothers, one who was in Arlington, Texas and another who resided in Phoenix who later joined us all in the Dallas area. 

Nonetheless, I had finished my course, my mother was alone, so we sold the house and packed up everything to move to Texas where my younger brother had been living for a number of years. 

He had been a loyal Delta Airlines employee for probably a decade and seemed firmly established in that area. 

Well, when I came to Texas, I landed a job at a Machinist company in Fort Worth, Texas. I was hired to train under a machinist from Laos. Well, the man was quite a character who got along with just a few individuals. Thus, when I trained under him to learn a job in which he was one of the only ones who could master, I wasn't given very good odds by the rest of the workers and who were many "Laotians."

The machine was from World War 2 era and was this huge machine that would bore and refine these huge holes in various "Gear boxes," which are the bottom half of those typical Oil Derrick pumps which you see on farmlands, or at least used to. 

Nonetheless, the machine was very temperamental and as it would bore, you had to push these two-inch buttons on the machine to control the speed of the bore. 

It's been over thirty years, so I am trying to define it as best I can. 

Nevertheless, it was a "stand alone," machine and it needed a machinist with a lot of patience and a cool temperament. Therefore, my training alone was about six months, but I finally "mastered it," through much name calling, cursing, and belittlement, as I think that this refuge hated Americans or something? 

At the time, I felt as if this was a part of my "Joseph," experience in life which God had prepared me for, a number of years earlier. 

Nonetheless, I sort of "won over," this guy who had quite a mouth and an attitude in which he seemed to hate me at first. Nonetheless, I wasn't offended because it seemed the guy hated everyone, even his Laotian brothers. 

Well, maybe that was stretching it a little, it's been like thirty-four years ago? 

Anyway, I also won over many of the Laotian community at the shop because I was a Christian and I knew that many of them had been treated badly as immigrants, though most came legally. 

When I was laid off in preparation for the plant shutdown, three years later, we parted as friends. 

Actually, I learned a lot of things from the man, such as Laotian curse words, I wouldn't ever repeat. But it was a lifelong experience that I won't ever forget. 

I'm just kidding about the swear words, over the years I have forgotten them. 

So, anyway, my mother settled in Arlington with my brother, and for a short time, I moved back up to Tulsa, where I had walked away from the 2nd year of Bible School. 

Over time, I realized that it was a momentary decision which I should not have made. 

Nevertheless, in order to make things "right," with God, I always knew that I would have to go up to Tulsa one day and to repent for my rash decision in leaving the school. Actually, I might have done that before I started my machinist's job in Fort Worth. Like I said, it was like thirty something years ago. 

Well, after I had made amends by going up to Tulsa, and more or less apologizing to Brother Hagin and my old school, sort of unofficial. I mean, as I arrived, I was willing to go back to finish my last year, had I felt led by God to do it. Well, I spent a little less than a year there willing to go back to my old school had I felt that it was God's will. 

He never suggested it and I never discerned it, though I was willing had the Lord asked me to. 

Later I returned a few times to visit a Camp meeting or Winter Bible Seminar. Nonetheless, that was about the same year where I started attending the International Charismatic Bible Conferences, hosted by Oral Roberts. One of its purposes according to Oral was to welcome back any fallen preachers or victims of the American church system.

You see, Oral himself had been betrayed many times by the organized religions of his day. And as I started to attend his organization I was treated by Oral as if I had never walked away from the church. Oral knew how to make one feel "restored." 

 Oral himself was abused by the church system and betrayed, yet he still loved the church until his dying day. 

"That was a 'Man of God!'

Nevertheless, after I made "peace," again with the church I returned to the Dallas area, on fire for God once again. All I ever wanted to do was to find a church which was similar to my first church in which God had called me to. 

Therefore, I would go to one after another seeking a place to rest in my Christianity. Nevertheless, I was never really accepted in many of the churches in which I visited. 

What I would do though, was to enter a church and then during "worship," I would help pray down the "Holy Spirit," that God might make His 'word' to 'come alive,' as I had seen in hundreds of other churches in which Jesus would be manifested through the "Holy Spirit."

Well, whenever God shows up in church there is always a favorable response and if it happens long enough, 'church growth,' can be quite easily attained. Today, we are seeing this all over the nation because many "young people," are learning and experiencing "Worship," which always brings God on the scene. 

So, over the years, I would visit various churches all over the Metro-Plex, and to help Pray down the Holy Spirit. 

Nonetheless, what I am trying to say is that I spent a total of seventeen years living in the Metro-plex in Dallas. Mostly around Arlington, which was the center of Fort Worth to the west and Dallas which was west of Arlington. When I began visiting Gateway Church, it was a straight up shot on Highway 360, maybe ten miles, which was a busy highway which led to the DFW airport. As I recall it was straight up 360 and then north at 121 a couple of miles.   

Nonetheless, if the people are not receptive to the Holy Spirit or to the various manifestations of God, then God is not going to dwell there. One of the first lessons that I learned about the Holy Spirit was that God is a "gentleman."

If you are not 'open,' or 'willing to welcome' the Holy Spirit then he is not going to force himself into your congregation. 

Why would he? 

"To listen to your traditional approach to him which calls his biblical recorded 'manifestations,' as 'from the devil?'" 

"To question everything that doesn't fall into your "mold," of what the 'Holy Spirit,' should be or to act?"

No, not at all, this is why Jesus, stated to the Pharisees, that, "You make the 'word of God,' to no effect."

In other words, you don't allow the Holy Spirit to work along with the "Word of God," in order to make it a "living being." 

"Gee, I never thought of that!"

It's not rocket science!

Could that "Be why we have never ever sensed a 'move,' of the "Holy Spirit," yet we have the most argumentative "Theologians" in the church world. They are always right!

"Have you ever heard of Calvin?"

Author: "Wasn't he a president?" 

So, anyway, I would ride my bike all over the Metro-plex and did it for a number of years. Year after year, after year, and there were very few churches in the Metro-Plex, which were even satisfying in the "Spirit realm." During those times, the entire church was focused on this new theological concept that if you can manipulate your entire congregation to 'Tithe,' you can have a successful church. 

Nevertheless, it was a fantasy because many tried yet were complete failures over the years. 

Somehow, Gateway was an exception, yet it had a very manipulative leader.

Nonetheless, I recall going to a church or two called, Church on the Rock. These were led and began by a charismatic leader and his wife. There was also a guy named Robert Tilton, and another named W.V. Grant.  

Well, a reporter named Diane Sawyer did an expose on all three and found some questionable practices. Soon they were no more, nonetheless, I used to visit their churches on occasion though I never thought of becoming a part or getting more involved.

They seemed too involved in building a 'personal kingdom' than in establishing a church. And all three had adopted a legalistic system of preaching the "Tithe,' and going after offerings hard. 

Another church that I often spent time at was a church in Fort Worth, led by a Pastor named Bob Nichols. He was one of the churches which welcomed the "Laughing Revival," led by an evangelist Rodney Howard Brown. Mr. Brown would spend each "worship," session giving a min teaching on giving, and giving and on giving. Even so, that it would become very uncomfortable as there were many times he used such manipulative means to take offerings that it would be uncomfortable to even be in a service. 

Today, he preaches in the exact same way as he did then and has a great emphasis on how God wishes to bless the Christian's personal life as opposed to helping others in the preaching of the gospel. 

Today, his ministry has like 'Exotic Car Shows," and the members all seem to bless each other in order to prove the "theology," that so long as you give to ministries such as his, then God will bestow huge gifts of "materialistic blessings, on your efforts. If I am not mistaken, they still have Classic Car Shows, every six months in order for the "Leaders," to feed their hobbies of accumulating fancy cars and Classic automobiles.  

I am not sure, but perhaps they teach that this was a highlight of the Lord's teaching on the Sermon of the Mount?

I also used to visit Calvary Cathedral on various Sundays, led by J. Don George, in Irving, Texas who along with Bob Nichols went back some time in history with Brother Hagin.He was the pastor who spoke at our Graduation class  at Rhema, and gave one of the most powerful sermons on the "failures," of Abraham Lincoln. Nonetheless, he was also a "legalistic Tithing Preacher," who I had odds with concerning some of his theology.

If the apostle Paul called "Legalistic Circumcision," for the Jew a curse which negated the gospel, then why wouldn't "Legalistic Tithing," fall under the same category? 

Nonetheless, many of these men were just following traditional denominational teaching, although, I could never find the reasoning or the scriptures which supported such theology. 

While in Detroit, I had spent almost a year under the "teaching," of a pastor who would later become the Superintendent of the entire denomination for almost a decade. 

Paul begins the letter to the Galatians, "Who has placed a spell over you? That you have forgotten all of the work that Jesus did on the CROSS in order to give you new life through "Grace," and "Grace alone?" 

So, the church answers, "Well, that is different 'circumcision,' doesn't pay our bills or my salary, whereas "Tithes," do, therefore we ought to have the 'right,' to lay that burden on our congregations."

"Can't you understand the difference, John?"  

One of my favorite churches was a church straight up Highway 75, to Old Town Carrolton north of Dallas. The Pastor there was a guy named Mike Hayes, and I used to love to worship there. I don't know why, but in some churches, there is just a receptive "spirit," I forget where he was connected, but I believe it was through the "Word /Faith movement.

It was quite a way from Arlington, but well worth the ride as the "worship," was just great once the congregation would pull down the 'Presence of the Holy Spirit'. Well, here it is like twenty years later, and as "worship," has become very acceptable and as the churches have gotten much more mature, there are numerous talented and gifted artists on the scene. Recently, I have noticed one group, David and Nicole Binion along with their daughter Gracie. 

They have releases which I consider highly anointed and wonderful "worship," music. So, anyway about a year ago, I just did a background check to see if I had any earlier contact with them, as I have "worshipped," in all parts of the country. Well to my surprise I saw that they had come out of Covenant Church in Carrolton, Texas. 

What a 'feel good,' surprise when I realized that I had probably "worshipped," in a church in Carrolton, Texas by these excellent worship leaders. 

No wonder the "worship flowed so anointed in that congregation. 

You know, I had no idea who had been leading "worship," when I would visit the church, but it made me to wonder recently if they had ever remembered a funny little guy who normally would sit in the back and to "worship," in the Spirit like there was no tomorrow? 

Someday, I am going to ask them. 

Also, my one saving 'Grace," while spending my time in that area was to be able to always "Worship," on Tuesday nights at Christ for the Nations Bible School.  Each weeknight they would have a Tuesday night worship evening where the designated "Special Speaker, would preach after the worship. 

This was the one place in the Metro-Plex where there were always young people and who were generally "on fire," for God. 

If it had not been for CFNI, during those awful dry and dreary times, I fear that I might have shriveled up and died?

I could mention a number of other churches in which I visited and "worshipped," in while I spent my years in the Dallas area, nonetheless, I want to talk about Gateway Church in particular. 

As Gateway Church first began establishing itself in the Metroplex, I spent a number of months, perhaps over a few years, helping to Pray down the Holy Spirit, as it grew as a church. 

The growth was so rapid that within just a couple years, they ended up building a huge church. Well, a couple more years pass and they needed to build a bigger church, then a third and finally a fourth. When they built the fourth church they had been so "prospered," that they didn't even need to sell the third but kept it and turned it into something or other, as I recall. 

Anyways, one of the reasons why I gave so much effort into helping to establish the church through the gifting given me by the Holy Spirit was because it was a church which didn't directly collect "tithes," 

Almost every church in the Metroplex seemed so consumed with building their little 'kingdoms,' through laying a tax (tithe,) on all of their people. 

Yet, at the same time none had any "works." It was as if the attitude was "take, take, take," though never give back. 

It was as if they thought that God had established the "Church," to bless this higher "caste," who called themselves "Clergy," and that they alone through their traditions had this insatiable need to "Build," using the finances of those who had been born of a lower class.

Well, Gateway church had a policy which would collect the churches offerings from the Boxes, posted along the back of the church. 

In other words, the first things in which this pastor did was to emphasize that he couldn't care the less if the people "tithed." 

Just give your offerings to those little boxes posted in the back of the church. 

"Why we don't want anyone to feel pressured to give," he would preach. 

So, normally I don't even concern myself with the various pleas in which these churches would use to manipulate their congregations. Almost every one did it, yet unless they were just out and out stealing through their fast talking con artistry, I would just ignore them. 

Nonetheless, I was fooled by this Pastor who I thought had real moral principles in collecting his churches offerings. 

Well, after a few years, I come back and find out that this particular 'Pastor,' was one of the most manipulative 'Preachers," in the church. This guy who had claimed in the beginning that he didn't want to 'put any pressure,' on his congregation and was not consumed with the "tithe," turned out to be one of the worst whom I had ever come in contact through the various churches. 

His whole emphasis in later years was to prove that you can have "The Blessed Life," in which God wishes you to have by not only 'Tithing,' to such organizations as his, but that you may attain 'Nirvana," by increasing your giving to twenty per cent. In this way, you will surely be 'blessed,' materially and surpass your neighbor by abiding by the wisdom in this book which he has offered for "whatever a Best Seller," sold for at the time?

I don't know, perhaps my perceptions were a little wrong, but that was how he came across to me. 

But you see, what these "Prosperity," preachers fail to tell you is that you can be so consumed with gaining selfish financially "Gain," that you become so "worthless," in the kingdom, due to the fact that "The Kingdom," becomes only about you. 

In other words, you become no Earthly Good, or "Heavenly Good," except just a hoarder of material "stuff." which serves only YOU.

So, anyway, I am coming to the end.

Over the years, I have reflected in my early efforts to "bless that organization."

I have on occasion told God, "God I wish that I had never helped that man establish his church."

Nevertheless, whenever I have thought that the passage of Paul comes to mind where he talks about how he did not care whether the gospel was preached out of "good motives,' or bad, but he just rejoiced by its preaching. 

Following from Google: 

AI Overview

The passage is found in Philippians 1:18, where the Apostle Paul wrote that he rejoiced "whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed". This means he was happy that the gospel was being preached, regardless of the motives of the people doing the preaching. 

Philippians 1:18: Paul says, "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice" (NIV).

Context: Paul was in prison and had heard that some people were preaching about Christ out of envy and rivalry, perhaps to cause him more trouble. However, he saw that, even with their bad motives, the core message of Christ gospel was still being spread.

Paul's focus: His joy was not dependent on the purity of others' motives but on the proclamation of Christ itself, which he knew would ultimately work for the good of the gospel. 

I mean, whether the man discipled a bunch of selfish consumed Christians who cared only of themselves and had no good in their heart, but to see each other become financially Independent of any dependence on God, no longer mattered to me. 

God blessed a number of Christians, and I am sure that at least a few became "saved."

Can you follow my logic?

Anyway, it was a few days ago, and I happened to turn on a "Worship Night," from the new "Gateway Church." It featured Brooke Ligertwood and was so refreshing to see and hear.

As I was watching and participating in the "worship," online, I heard the Lord, and He said to me, "John, aren't you glad to see what has come out of the new "Gateway Church."

And he said something like "Doesn't it just make your heart "feel good" to see those thousands of young people, all worshipping me in that building that you helped to build?" 

And I couldn't deny it, nothing makes me so happy as to see something really used for the "Glory," of God, in which I had helped to establish on the Earth. 

Nonetheless, I was thinking that "What a wasted life that I would have lived, had I only served God for those who I was personally in good relationship with."

You see, all my life I have given my all to people and projects no matter their personal 'likability' to myself, so long as it gave God glory, 

I never considered it a "wasted effort," so long as it gave God glory!

Nevertheless, I am sure that a few may think that I have "gone over the "edge," but I said all of that to lead up to my "Best Sunday Sermon for October 26th, 2025," Award. 

Music link:     https://youtu.be/hDZjNuwIq7o

This week after consulting with my few "Board Members," left, we have decided to award the "Best Sunday Sermon," this week to the New Gateway Pastor named Daniel Floyd or something like that?

The man preached a wonderful Saturday/Sunday night session, and I was thoroughly impressed. 

I think God has great things for this new "Gateway Church," planned for the future. 

Link:        https://youtu.be/KuimtcduDS0  

Lastly, I also had to disqualify Pastor Dilena again this week for his sermon. If I don't take such necessary steps he will be putting me out of a job, because he would be monopolizing the "Award," each week. 

Nonetheless, I will post a link despite his controversial sermon:  

Link:      https://youtu.be/cAK4rqlDkd0    

Music link:     https://youtu.be/tROUADbHXcc

Music link:    https://youtu.be/nNv8OweQ6VM?list=RDnNv8OweQ6VM

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Music link:     https://youtu.be/KypE1JxTrCg     

Added 10-30 25

Authors Note: If you listen to this whole service, you will hear the present CEO of Christ for the Nations, share how that he had first heard of this man somewhere about twenty five years ago or so, when he was a student at ORU.

Well, as I have shared many times, I had made it my business to learn about all that the "Holy Spirit, had been doing around the world and I had never heard of this man until the time where this College President and CEO of the school mentions. 

Well, I can't remember if it was at a Mega Church in Tulsa, as there were many I attended the few times that I had lived up there or if perhaps it was at an Oral Roberts, International Charismatic Bible Ministries conferences. Nonetheless, it was as if this man suddenly popped out of a flashing fire pan temporarily and for a short time had received his, "Fifteen minutes of fame." 

You see, as he states in his sermon and in a document authored by Leonard Ravenhill, that I have posted online, as well, as from the "words" of Jesus, most of these kinds of 'Saints," are suppose to live in obscurity until they die and are buried in the ground.

 Then once they are dead, they are immortalized by huge numbers who claim to be true followers of God, which are really just followers of men, in many cases, as you can see from their lives they have no "works," authored by God?

In a sense they fashion their own "Saints," so they don't have to have any "works," yet use those idols to justify their empty lives.

As you witness the church through "history," it is filled with example and example of this. That is why Jesus was forced to point this out to his generation, many were not even aware that they were doing it. 

Please see scripture: Luke 11:47-54 

So anyway, all of a sudden out of no where this 'Saint," named Bill Wilson appears out of the blue. Well, I had been a Christian for a number of years and I had never heard of the man. So, I was like 'dumb struck.' here is this man known in very limited close circles as the "man who ran the world's largest "Sunday School." 

Well, the more that I investigated his ministry, I thought, "Lord, this guy isn't the world's greatest "Sunday School Leader."

But this guy ought to be known as the world's leading Pastor of the largest "Ministry over the Orphan and the Outcast," of our generation. 

I believe that he states, "at present, he has over two million registered Sunday School participants spread all over the world.

I believe that is an accomplishment "worthy," of recognition.

"But who am I?"

Nonetheless, as soon as this man steps out of obscurity and into his "fifteen minutes of fame," soon after he goes back into 'obscurity, and I honestly haven't heard a thing about the man ever since. 

In fact, as I was 'gleaning' You Tube, that day and saw that he was a 'lecturer' speaking at a 'chapel service,' at CFNI, I was trying to remember who he was. 

"Bill Wilson, Bill Wilson," I was saying to myself, where do I know this guy from, Lord?"

Well, it was not until I opened the clip and heard the beginning of the service when it all came back to me. 

"Why, this is that guy who had stepped out of obscurity and made such a splash with all of those other minister's back twenty or so years ago," I thought. 

Well, I have a theory. 

You see, as I said, this was a man who was suppose to live his life in obscurity, yet had somehow fooled the devil and slipped out of his "hidden-ness," and had popped out of the frying pan to make a splash, but for some reason "Satan," was allowed to put him back in the fire. 

Nonetheless, most of you will not understand the "stature," of such a "man of God," and will fail to give him the respect that is truly do this man in terms of honor and respect in the 'Kingdom of God."   

Tuesday CFNI guest: Bill Wilson:     https://youtu.be/4_LiVd7CWtU

Postscript:

Let me add: That the reason why men like this live in Obscurity is because for men to recognize them they would have to support them or to do the things that they do. No, it is just so much more easier to ignore them. 

Have you ever thought about that? 

Our church is filled with men who immortalize men and many times they will be certain classes of the clergy, nonetheless, in immortalizing these men they don't have to have any "works," much as the Pharisees of Jesus day?

No, they just have to replace the honor and respect which is due God, and to thereby transfer it to particular "Holy," men. Normally, of the same denomination of their own

"Why, I never...."

"Is that something Jesus would say?" 

"You are so cruel and mean!" 

I better let it go for the night.....

Matthew 25:40    New Living Translation

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

*****